Thanks so much for all your great tips on Santa Barbara! We’re headed to Carpenteria for a family reunion in June and will check out of the places you have written about! Also, my son is starting at Occidental so I will be able to visit more often and haunt the Huntington Gardens among other beautiful and happening’ LA sketching spots! Many thanks for always inspiring me Mary Ann! (still working at the Oh My Gouache videos and am imminently about to begin starting 🙂 my first MAM style sketchbook!

One of my favorite places. I have a little sketchbook somewhere that I nearly filled one day at this museum. It’s so peaceful there. California plein aire paintings are the focus of The Irvine Museum, http://www.irvinemuseum.org/. It’s just off the 405 in a bustling business area, but definitely worth it. Ocean and Back Bay are nearby as well as Mitsuwa marketplace and UCI Ecological Preserve.